Early action supplies bonding moments for fathers and sons

GLENDALE, Ariz. – This is a story about fathers and sons … and baseball … and the memories made by fathers and sons through baseball.

On Saturday at Sloan Park, White Sox shortstop Colson Montgomery, the No. 39 prospect overall per MLB Pipeline, launched his first career Cactus League home run in the fourth inning against Cubs reliever Caleb Thielbar. The blast landed in the center field berm, and it was retrieved by a fan who was there to enjoy a little Spring Training baseball without any team allegiance.

The ball was then retrieved by TJ Montgomery, Colson’s father, from that fan.

“He went and talked to the person and said he was my dad and the guy was like, ‘Yeah, sure. Here you go,’” said a smiling Colson of the retrieval. “He was just there to watch baseball. It was pretty cool.

“I always tell him, 'You don’t have to go and get all that stuff,' but he likes doing his own thing. It means a lot to him. I feel like it means more to him than it means to me. It’s another game, another homer. But he’s my dad, so he’s got a little more emotion behind it.”

An exchange of a signed bat or baseball from Colson is being arranged. TJ is in town watching his son for a week, with the roofer picking a good time for a break as the snow falls at home in Indiana.

TJ has visited his son on the Minor League side during the regular season. He should have the chance to come to Chicago to see Colson this season, with the possibility of that visit coming on Opening Day at home against the Angels on March 27.

Colson can’t really remember his dad grabbing any other important-moment memorabilia. But as a former baseball and basketball player in high school and junior college, TJ’s competitive nature has been transferred to his son.

“His school didn’t have football because it was so little where he was from, but he was a fierce competitor, is what I’ve heard from all his friends. I’ve gotten that from him,” Colson said. “I’ve gotten a lot of stuff from both my mom and dad.”

That father-son bond played out for Mike and Justin Jirschele prior to Sunday’s Cactus League game between the Royals and White Sox in Surprise, when the two exchanged pregame lineup cards. Mike is the manager for Triple-A Omaha, working in his 35th season for the Kansas City organization, while Justin is the third-base coach for the White Sox.

Justin managed Triple-A Charlotte for parts of the past two seasons before being promoted to the Majors on Aug. 8 of last year when Grady Sizemore was named interim manager. Father and son have never managed against each other, but this is the third time they’ve exchanged lineup cards, with all three coming before Cactus League contests.

“He’s done it all my life,” Justin said. “It will definitely be weird when he decides to hang them up and not be out here for Spring Training. That’s what I’m used to, ever since I was growing up: When is dad leaving for Spring Training, and when are we going to see him next, and when can I get on the field?

“Obviously, it’s White Sox and Royals, in the division. As far as the general philosophies of the game and what he believes in and what I believe in, there’s always ideas floating around as we are in conversations and continuing to pick his brain on some things. He’ll ask questions about what I believe in as well. It’s just philosophies and bouncing ideas off each other of finding ways to be better.”

With Justin’s kids being 5 and 3 years of age, they understand what grandpa and dad do for a living. They understand grandpa was wearing blue in Sunday’s game and dad was wearing black, and they need to cheer for the White Sox.

“Grandpa is grandpa, but they know when it’s White Sox-Royals, it’s White Sox,” said a smiling Justin. “If they want to come on the field and have fun, even though they go over there and my dad will take them on the field and have fun, they know where it’s at. It’s here with the White Sox.”

There was a discussion between the two behind home plate after the Royals rallied for a 4-3 victory. But sometimes father and son baseball discussions really just become family talk.

“It was his [45th wedding] anniversary yesterday,” Justin said. “I told him I would take them out for dinner, and we were talking about where we were going to go.”